Right and left hand latch



June 14, 1932- F. K. soLLiDAY ET AL Il,862,715

RIGHT AND LEFT HAND LATCH` g lllmeilius De Ridder.

' other words, the

-Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED LSTATES PATENT oFFlcE FOSTER K. SOLLIDAY AIiFD CORNEIIJIUS DE BIDDER, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN,

. ASSIG-NORS TO NATIONAL BRASS COMPANY, GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN A COR- IORA'IION OF MICHIGAN RIGHT AND' LEFT HAND LATCH i I Application led January 19, 1931. Serial No. 509,576. i.

This invention pertains or lrelates to latching mechanisms and ismre particularly concerned with the construction of a latch which may be Aused on either side of a door. In latch is either right-hand or left-hand.

One `of the main features of this invention lies in our novel latch bolt together with its mounting means whereby it may bevslid axially thus permitting it to extend on either side of the `handle member in which it is mounted thus making it capable of acting or serving on either side thereof, thus, the dealer or jobber is not comp-elled to keep two types of latches in stock but instead may handle only the herein described type, the same being capable of functioning regardless of the'type of door to which it is applied. Another feature of our invention is to construct a latch which is of extremely simple construction and whichv may be properly manufactured. One of the several ways in which `the cost of -manufacture is lessened is by the elimination of any extra parts. For instance, the spring member not only serves its usual function but'it also prevents the latching bolt'from endwise movement as will later be set forth.

Briefly described our invention consists of Y a latch housing having a handle member pivotally mounted therein, a latch bolt having several grooves therein7 and a spring coiled about the pivot between the handle member and the latch member, 2said spring having one of its ends received in the chosen one ofv the grooves in the latch bolt whereby the latch bolt is prevented from endwise movement.

Other objects, advantages and meritorious qualities reside' in the special construction,v

combination and arrangement ofthe various elements forming the invention as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, wherein:

Fig. 1 isia front view of our invention as applied to a cupboard. o

Fig. 2 is a`view through the j amb showing Vthe keeper member.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but show-I ing the `latch bolt in its opposite position.

Fig. 7 is a view in cross section taken through a modification of my device. v

Fig. 8 is a view taken along the line 8 8 of Fig. 7. i

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but showing the latch bolt reversed.

Fig. 10 is a side view .of my double keeper member, and, V t Fig. 11 is a front view of another modifica- Similar numerals refer to sir'nilar parts throughout the several views.

Referring particularly to Figs.`1-6, inclusive. 10 indicates the swinging door of a cupboard having a jamb 11. the iamb 11 having a keeper 12 fastened thereto bv means of bolts 13. The keeper is preferably formed of a single piece of strap metal. such as iron. plated as desired and having the usual cam surface 14'against which the latch bolt 15 rides to the'clos'ing of the door 10.

The door 10 has the flange or base 16 of the latch housing 17 held thereto by means of screws 18. The latch housing 17 has depending sides which serve to mount the pivot pin 21 which extends therethrough and which maybe riveted over at-its ends as clearly` shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

. A handle member 23 has spaced apart lips 24 extending inwardly between the depending sides of the latch housing 17 and is pivoted upon the pivot pin-21. The front portion of these lips slidably carry the latching bolt 15.

' A coiled spring 25 is wound about the pivot pin 21 and one end thereof extends upwardly against the housing 17. See Fig. 4. The latch bolt has circumferential grooves 26 and 27, and the other end of the coiled spring 4rides in the chosen one of these grooves.

For instance, if the latch bolt is to be used as illustrated in Fig. 1, the lower end of the spring rides in a groove 27 and prevents endwise movement of the latch bolt whereas if the latch is used with alreversely hung door the lower end of the spring is shifted to the groove 26. This is'accomplished by pulling downwadly upon the lower endof the spring and merely shifting the latch bolt as desired. The dotted line showing of Fig. 1 illustrates this new position. A .small lug 29, see Fig. 4, is provided on the lip 24 of the handle member adjacent the lower end of the spring, thus.

'44. The latch bolt 45 consists of an enlarged portion 46 which is adapted to be bolted, against either one of the inner lips of the handle 41, the screw 47 threading in'to a smaller portion 48 of the latch bolt to accompli sh this result. See Fig.'8.

Fig. 9 illustrates the latch bolt 45 when it is reversed. g

Fig. 10 illustrates a keeper member l50 which is formed with a recess 51 relatively close to the j amb member 11 and another recess 52 which is farther away, the former be V ing. adapted to receive the latch bolt 53 when the latch is used with an ordinary swing door l construction and the latter recess being used when the door is offset relative to the jamb member. p

Fig. 11 illustrates a modification which has a latch housing member 55. a handle member 56 mounted therein and a relatively long latch bar 57 being of suicient length to op- `eratc either ri ght-handedly or left-handedly.

Having thus revealedjthis invention` we claim as new and desire to secure the following combinations and elements or equivalentsU thereof, by Letters Patent of the States.

We claim: y v 1. A latch device of the. class described comprising' a housing havingl depending United sides, a handle' member, a pivot extending through the depending sides and the handle member to mount the same, a latch bolt slidlatch bolt having several circumferential i grooves therein, a coiled spring located about the said pivot and having one end bearing against the housing and the other end resting in a chosen groove,l said lastmentioned end extending beyond the groove whe'eby it may be grasped readily when desire 2. A latch device as set forth in claim 1, but further characterized by the fact that the handle means has a projection extending therefrom, said projection being adapted to engage the last mentioned end of the spring between the latch bolt and the pivot'of the handle.

3. A latch of the character set forth comprising a housing'member, a handle, means for pivoting the handle onto the housing, a latch bolt slidably mounted in the handle in parallelism to the axis of the handle, said latch bolt having a plurality of notches thereby longitudinal movement of the latch *bolt is prevented.

5. A right and left hand latch comprising a base, a housing rigid therewith, a handle member pivotally mounted on the housing, a latch bolt and means to adjustably mount the latch bolt on the handle member` whereby it extends beyond the base on either side thereof. l .y l

6. In a latching device of the character described a housing member, a handle member pivoted thereto, a latch bolt slidably mounted in said handle member and means to hold the latch bolt in either of two of its several sliding positions. C

7. In a latching mechanism of lthe type described al housing member, a handle member, means for pivoting the handle member upon the housing member, a latch bolt slidably mounted in'said" handle member and means to "clamp the latch bolt against axial -movement, vsaid means being mounted upon the handle member.

8. A latchingstructure ,of the character described consisting of ahousing, a handle member pivoted therein, a latch bolt mounted in the handle member. and spring means mounted upon the handle member, spring means interposed between the housing and the latch bolt whereby the handle tends towards rotation and whereby the latch bolt is kheld from axial movement.

9. An article of the class described comprising a supporting housing, a handle pivoted therein, a latch bolt slidably mounted in said handle, and spring means mountedy between the housing and the latch bolt whereby the latch bolt is held in its chosen position and whereby the handle member is llexibly held with .relation to the housing.

10. A latch device comprising a housing member, a handle pivotally mounted therein,

a latch bolt and means to movably mount the latch bolt so as to extend from either side of the handle whereby the latch device is either right hand or left hand as desired.

In testimony whereof we aiix our signatures. Y

.FOSTER K. SOLLIDAY.`

CORNEILIUS DE RIDDER. 

